Why do we dream? New study reveals emotional benefits of dreams

Why do we dream? This question has puzzled humanity for centuries. Dreams are mysterious and often hard to understand. A new scientific study by researchers from the University of Geneva and the University of Toronto sheds light on this. The researchers examined whether dreams help us regulate our emotions and better cope with stress and anxiety. They compared the dreams of hunter-gatherer groups from Africa with those of people from Western countries.

The Function of Dreams: An Evolutionary Perspective

Dreams are more than just random images and stories that appear in our minds while we sleep. Many scientists believe that dreams have played an important role in human evolution. According to the simulation theory, dreams help us prepare for real dangers and improve our social skills. For example, a dream where we run away from a wild animal might help us react better in a similar real-life situation. However, these theories have rarely been studied across different cultures.

The Study: A Look at Different Cultures

In the current study, dreams from two hunter-gatherer groups - the BaYaka from the Republic of Congo and the Hadza from Tanzania - were compared with dreams from people in the global North. The goal was to find out if dreams in these traditional societies have a more effective emotion regulation function. In total, 896 dreams from 234 people were analyzed, who recorded their dreams in dream diaries. Researchers used special software to examine the dream texts for specific words and themes.

The BaYaka and Hadza

The BaYaka live in the dense forests of the Republic of Congo and the Hadza in the open savannas of Tanzania. Both groups lead simple lives, deeply connected to nature. They hunt and gather their food and live in close-knit communities. This lifestyle is very different from that in Western countries, where most people live in cities and use modern technologies.

Results and Discussion

Community-Oriented Dreams

One interesting result of the study was that the dreams of the BaYaka were strongly community-oriented. Many dreams involved family, joint activities, and community support. For example, a BaYaka woman dreamed of hunting in the forest with her daughters and catching an animal which they then brought back to the village. These dreams reflect the strong social norms and high interpersonal support that are essential in such societies. These types of dreams might help people strengthen their social bonds and resolve conflicts.

Threat Dreams and Emotional Processing

Both the BaYaka and the Hadza showed a higher frequency of threat dreams, which often had positive emotional resolutions. For example, a Hadza dreamed of being chased by elephants but was able to escape into a cave, thus avoiding the threat. Such dreams might represent a form of emotional catharsis, where negative feelings are processed and resolved in the dream. This could help people better manage their fears while awake.

Differences from the Global North

In contrast, people from the global North, especially those with anxiety disorders or nightmares, had significantly more negative emotions in their dreams. While the Hadza and BaYaka often found solutions to threats, this emotional resolution was often missing in the dreams of people from the global North. For example, a person with an anxiety disorder dreamed of being trapped in a dark elevator and having to face their fear alone. These dreams might cause the individuals to feel more anxious and stressed while awake.

Conclusion

The study suggests that dreams in traditional societies like those of the BaYaka and Hadza can play an important role in emotional adjustment. They help process threats and strengthen social bonds. This could be an evolutionary advantage that makes survival in an uncertain environment easier. In contrast, dreams in modern, individualistic societies seem to be less effective in emotion regulation, leading to higher levels of negative emotions and anxiety.

Final Thoughts

Dreams are more than just nightly adventures. They might play a key role in emotional adjustment and social interaction. This cross-cultural study provides new insights into the evolutionary significance of dreams and shows how strongly our social and cultural contexts can influence our dream experiences. By learning more about the functions of dreams in different cultures, we can better understand how they affect our emotional well-being.

Source: Evidence for an emotional adaptive function of dreams: a cross-cultural study | Scientific Reports (nature.com)